Bicycle.



No. 636,792. Patented Nov. l4, I899. 0. H. GENTRY.

BICYCLE.

I (Application filed May 25, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES: mvemoa l wv/wfl ATTORNEY THE Nonms PETERS co. PHUTD-LITHO..WASHINGTON, D. c

No, 636,792. Patented-Nov. l4, I899.

. 0. H. GENTRY.

BICYCLE.

(Application filed Kay 25, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES l ATENT ()FFICE.

OLIVER Hf GENTRY, on NEW YORK, N." Y.

BICYCLE;

smmmmon forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,792, seed November 14.,1999.

' Application filed May 25,1897. $erial No. 638.126. (ND model.)

T on whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, OLIVER H. GENTRY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBicycle Driving-Gear,'0f which the followingis a specification.

Myinvention relates to an improved power- IO transmitting mechanismparticularly well adapted for use on bicycles.

In accordance with this invention the powertransmitting mechanismcomprises a drivingwheel, a wheelsubstantiallyin line therewith to bedriven thereby, and an intermediate wheel to transmit power from thedrivingwheel to the driven wheel and which consists of an inner part,center, or support, a circumferential ring encircling the said center2'0 or support, but separate therefrom, with rollers in a race formedin' the two rings and confining said toothed ring on the stationaryring, and spacing-rings in which the rollers are pivoted,saidspacing-rings forming guards 9 5 to the roller-race, said rollersconfining the toothed ring on the supporting-ring.

The driving and driven wheels and the intermediate circumferential ringmay and preferably will be made as spur-gears, and

the support or center of the intermediate wheel may and preferably willbe as an open frameor ring to enable my improved powertransmittingmechanism to be readily applied to the frames of bicycles as nowcommonly .taching said gear, the scale being consider-- ably enlarged.Figs. 4 and 5 are details of devices for securing the stationary ring ofthe intermediate gear to the frame-bar. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partlyin side View and partly in section, of the supporting-ring and inter- 5omediate Wheel on a larger scale for greater clearness. Fig. 7 is a planview of the parts shown in Fig. 6, also with a part in section. Figs. 8,9, and 10 are detail sections of the parts shown in Fig. 6 on a stilllarger scale.

In the present instanceI have shown what I regard as the preferred formof my invention as applied to a bicycle-frame of ordinary construction.

On the crank-axle 0b is a spur-wheel b, and on the axle of thedriving-Wheel c of the bicycle is a spur-pinion d in the same plane forbeing geared together by an intermediate spur-wheel. For thisintermediate wheel I provide the spur-toothed ring 8, preferably havingthe groovef in its inner periphery for part of a roller-race, and formounting this ring I provide a center or support,preferably another ring9, the diameter of which is slightly less than the inner diameter of the76 toothed ring and having preferably a groove h in its outer face forthe counterpart of the roller-race, and for the best result I attachthis ring fixedly to the frame-bar z in any ap proved way to support itin the plane of the wheel I) and pinion (Z, and on the stationary ring gI mount the toothed ring e by means of rollers q inserted in the ringsand comprising a roller-bearing of the toothed ring on the stationaryring. The size of the toothed ring 80 is such as to mesh properlywithwheel I) and pinion cl when so mounted to transmit the motion.

The ring g, as shown, has an inwardly-rang ing flange 79 for stiffeningit against the thrusts of the rollers and for connecting it to theframe-bar i. The plan which I represent in this case for connecting saidring comprises a shoe-block Z, flat on one side and grooved on the otherto fit the flange and framebar, 9o respec'tively,and suitably interposedbetween them, with a yoke m extending around the bar and being suitablyadapted for receiving cla mping-screws 'n, inserted through the flangeto clamp the several parts together; but the mode of connection may bevaried at willfor instance, the yoke may have screw-threaded terminalsinserted through the flange and secured by nuts screwed on the outside.Two

such fastenings at opposite sides of thestationaryring and in the lineof the frame-bar are ample for efiectual security of the intermediatewheel, and it is not essential that the grip on the frame-bar be great,because any tendency of the wheel to move forward orbackward along theframe-bar is balanced'equally both ways by the opposing thrusts of thewheel I) and pinion d, and the parallel faces of the teeth tend to keepthe intermediate gear in the plane of the other two gears, even thoughthe fastenings be so slack on the bar as to turn easily thereon. It willbe seen that an intermediate wheel fastened in this manner is held moresubstantially than a wheel of the ordinary kind to turn on a centralaxis,where the stresses are multiplied by the radius of the Wheel, and'aspecial and most important function of this contrivance is itsadaptation for application to the ordinary side bar of the lower hindfork of nearly all forms of bicycles now in use without any changewhateverand without expensive fittings, the application being such thatthe obliquely-arranged framebar extends diagonally through the rings,while the rings occupy the plane of the crankwheel and pinion parallelto the vertical longitudinal plane of the entire machine, this being anarrangement impossible with the ordinary wheels rotating on their axes,for which specially-constructed frames mustbe provided.

The rollers are pivoted in spacing-rings s to keep the rollers apartfrom each other and' ably for inserting the hard and be closed again. Inthis application to bicycles being constructed the bar 1' will beinserted prior to the closing of the frame.

What I claim as my invention is- In a bicycle driving-gear, thecombination.

with a spur driving-Wheelon the crank-axle and a spur-pinion on thedriving-wheel axle,

of an intermediate transmitting spurwheel,

comprising, a toothed ring gearingwithsaid wheel and pinion andmountedon a stationary ring with rollers in a race formedin the tworings and confining said toothed ringion the stationary ring,andspacing-rings in which the rollers are pivoted, said spacing-ringsforming guards to the roller-race su bstantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county OfNGW York and State of New York,this. 22d, day of May, A. D. 1897.

- OLIVER'H. GEN'IRY. Witnesses:

O. SEDGWIOK, A. P. THAYER.

